Need to Upgrade Nonconference Schedule

[AreWeThereYet]

The option do kind of suck for out of conference games. Basically you have two home invites to work with. All you are going to get is mid-major teams that are willing to come to Iowa. The better FCS opponents will be off the table once previously scheduled opponents are done.

Iowa largely recruits within the Big Ten footprint so many of the better southern or western mid-major teams have essentially zero impact on recruiting. The more Chicago area teams you can beat the better. That would put Northern Illinois at the top of the list. Iowa gets a few players out of Michigan and Ohio and plays both Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State too few times. Playing Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green might help keep Iowa's name in circulation. The other Ohio MAC teams are less attractive opponents. Miami of Ohio has been on Iowa's schedule a number of times but seems to have permanently fallen into the basement since Rothlisberger graduated. I think the Ohio valley has too many mid-major teams anyway. As far as I am concerned Iowa should never play UMass, Eastern Michigan, Kent State or Buffalo unless things change quite a bit. Eastern Michigan soundly beat Wyoming for its only victory last year. I'm not sure what the logic was of putting Wyoming on Iowa's schedule. Colorado State would make a good home opponent though.

 

[westender]

If home games are so important, how come nobody is arguing to drop ISU and play 3 cream puffs at home each year? That way you could get an 8th home game every 2 years. Yet nobody seems to think it's important to start having 8 home games a year.

The need for 7 home games is not a guaranteed right, and only became permanent in 2006. Its not like its been around forever. local businesses may need to think about a business model that is successful even when there is no home football game being played.

C'mon. You are dreaming up scenario that isn't going to happen. Show me any college team playing 8 home games ????????????????? Keep dreaming. And we aren't giving up what we gain in getting number 7. It is all about the $$$$$$. And Iowa State is not going away. Sounds like someone who doesn't go to them in Iowa City or Ames. It gets the whole damn state watching for 3 or 4 hours.

 

[westender]

I agree that Pitt was just about the ideal opponent for a challenging out of conference home-at-home series. Iowa was just a little better team.

against Pitt
2015 W 27 - 24
2014 @ W24 - 20
2011 W 31 - 27 big comeback win
2008 @ L 20 - 21

In terms of Ws & Ls one could say the say the same about the ISU game. Some people are stuck in the 1980s. I don't know exactly what our record is against them the last 10 years but I am guessing it is roughly 50%. It is what it is with them. It is a good Big Ten level intensity game for the players to get prepped.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

In terms of Ws & Ls one could say the say the same about the ISU game. Some people are stuck in the 1980s. I don't know exactly what our record is against them the last 10 years but I am guessing it is roughly 50%. It is what it is with them. It is a good Big Ten level intensity game for the players to get prepped.

Living in the 1980's?

Pitt had a winning percentage of 58% from 2008-2015
Iowa State had a winning percentage of 34% from 2008-2015
That's a 7 win per year team vs. a 4 win per year team. Pitt is a middle of the pack team just a little below Iowa's performance. Iowa State is a perennial bottom dweller. Iowa State may be more difficult because it is a rivalry game.

Face it. Iowa is a middle of the road team. I don't necessarily like it, but I can face it. Iowa got blown out by Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee, and Stanford over that span. Iowa needs to concentrate the Big Ten games and line up challenging out of conference games, not overwhelming competition.

 

[guffus]

C'mon. You are dreaming up scenario that isn't going to happen. Show me any college team playing 8 home games ????????????????? Keep dreaming. And we aren't giving up what we gain in getting number 7. It is all about the $$$$$$. And Iowa State is not going away. Sounds like someone who doesn't go to them in Iowa City or Ames. It gets the whole damn state watching for 3 or 4 hours.

First, I have seen big ten teams play 8 home games recently. Not Iowa, but Penn St for example did it.

So fine we are talking about Iowa. I can't understand why you are so insistent that Iowa absolutely can not give up the 7th home game because of money, but at the same time insist there is no way there will be 8 home games, even though an 8th game would mean even more local revenue.

Which gets back to my original point. What is so sacred about having 7 home games every year? That only started in 2006. Why is it suddenly a guaranteed right? If Iowa went to a schedule of alternating 7 homes 1 year, 6 home games the next, then they could play 2 P5 OOC every year.

or if Iowa was was willing to play only 6 home games once every 4 years, and 7 home games 3 out of 4 years, then they could play 2 P5 teams a year 50% of the time. That seems like a reasonable compromise.